Great Egret in breeding plumage - Grande aigrette en plumage nuptial, 
Gatorland, Florida, USA
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus). Female.

The Hairy Woodpecker is virtually identical in plumage to the Downy Woodpecker with one exception. The Hairy Woodpecker does not have spots on it's white tail and the Downy does. The Downy Woodpecker is smaller than the Hairy Woodpecker and has a shorter bill relative to the size of it's head. 

These two species are not closely related and are likely to be separated in different genera (Weibel & Moore, 2005; Moore et al., 2006). Their outward similarity is a spectacular example of convergent evolution. As to why this convergence has evolved, only tentative hypotheses have been advanced. In any case (due to the considerable size difference), ecological competition between the two species is rather slight.

These birds are mostly permanent residents. Birds in the extreme north may migrate further south and birds in mountainous areas may move to lower elevations.

Both forage on trees, often turning over bark or excavating to uncover insects. They mainly eat insects, also fruits, berries and nuts, sometimes tree sap. More information available at  Wikipedia.org  .

Halifax, Nova Scotia. 11 November 2008
Common Goldeneye  (Bucephala clangula) Adult female. 

A medium sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Their closest relative is the similar Barrow's goldeneyeAdult males ranges from 45-52 cm (18-21 inches) and from 888 to 1400 grams (1.9 to 3.1 lbs), while females range from 40-50 cm (16-20 inches) and from 500 to 1182 grams (1.1 to 2.6 lbs). The species is aptly named for its golden-yellow eye. Adult males have a dark head with a greenish gloss and a circular white patch below the eye, a dark back and a white neck and belly. Adult females have a brown head and a mostly grey body. Their legs and feet are orange-yellow.

Their breeding habitat is the taiga. They are found in the lakes and rivers of boreal forests across Canada and the northern United States, Scandinavia and northern Russia . They are migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters at more temperate latitudes. Naturally, they nest in cavities in large trees. They will readily use nestboxes, and this has enabled a healthy breeding population to establish in Scotland where they are increasing and slowly spreading with the help of nestboxes. They are usually quite common in winter around lakes of Britain and some are being encouraged to nest in nestboxes which are put up to try and have them there all year round.

Often the natural tree cavities are made by broken limbs, unless they are made by pileated woodpeckers or black woodpeckers, the only tree-cavity-making animals who make a cavity large enough to normally accommodate a goldeneye. Average egg size is a breadth of 43.3 mm (1.7 inches), a length of 59.3 mm (2.3 inches) and a weight of 64 grams (2.3 oz). The incubation period ranges from 28 to 32 days. The female does all the incubating and is abandoned by the male about 1 to 2 weeks into incubation. The young remain in the nest for about 24-36 hours. Brood parasitism is quite common both with other common goldeneyes as well as other duck species and even tree swallow and European starling eggs have been found mixed with goldeneye eggs! The broods commonly start to mix with other females' broods as they become more independent. Goldeneye young have been known to be competitively killed by other goldeneye mothers, common loons and red-necked grebes. The young are capable of flight at 55-65 days of age.

These diving birds forage underwater. Year-round, about 32% of their prey is crustaceans, 28% is aquatic insects and 10% is molluscs. Insects are the predominant prey while nesting and crustaceans are the predominant prey during migration and winter. Locally, fish eggs and aquatic plants can be important foods. They themselves may fall prey to various hawks, owls and eagles, while females and their broods have been preyed upon by bears (Ursus spp.), various weasels (Mustela spp.), mink (Mustela vison), raccoons (Procyon lotor) and even northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) and red squirrels (Tamiasciurus husonicus).

The common goldeneye is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Approximately 188,300 common goldeneyes were killed by duck hunters in North America during the 1970s representing about 4% of the total number of ducks killed in the region during that period[citation needed]. The rate is probably similar today. Both the breeding and winter habitat of these birds has been degraded by clearance and pollution. However, this is the only duck in North America known to derive short-term benefits from lake acidification. Source:  Wikipedia.org .




28 December 2008
House Sparrow (male) / Moineau domestique (mâle)
Passer domesticus
Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Ottawa, Ontario
16 March 2008

Smile for the camera.
Cedar Waxwing - near Olympia, Wa
This photograph of Roseate Spoonbill in the process of catching a shrimp (between bill) was captured in the Bunche Preserve, Florida (9/12).  This photograph is protected by the U.S. Copyright Laws and shall not to be downloaded or reproduced by any means without the formal written permission of Ken Conger Photography.
This photo suffered in sharpness so I used a dry brush filter.
Juvenile Osprey wondering who I am trying to kid with all this 'sneak up behind him' stuff. He may have been born a month and a half ago but he ain't stupid :)
Great Egret in breeding plumage - Grande aigrette en plumage nuptial,
Gatorland, Florida, USA
Great Egret in breeding plumage - Grande aigrette en plumage nuptial, 
Gatorland, Florida, USA
Great Egret in breeding plumage - Grande aigrette en plumage nuptial,
Gatorland, Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.

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